Who hates Sam Brown

[marinyork]

I wonder if they used to work better than they do now - these days there are a lot more distractions and background clutter in the average urban setting - advertising signs, street furniture, the sheer number of car lights. In a darker, simpler setting (a rural or suburban road), a little strip of reflective would probably stand out more.

Clean light conditions often do work very well with retro reflectives.

Your idea about urban clutter is an interesting one. I'd have thought it probably varies from driver to driver.

 

[marinyork]

General Sir Sam Browne VC, GCB, KCSI was a cavalry officer who having had his left arm blown off invented a belt to enable him to carry a pistol and sword without having to hold the scabbard stead with his (now missing) left hand. It is still used as part of an army officers uniform and that is where it should stay. But some bright spark decided that if you took the design and coved it in reflective tape it would be a good way of making cyclist look silly more visible

It would be better if cyclist were allowed to use them to carry a carry a pistol and sword as originally intended...

Post of the week!

 

[Arch]

Clean light conditions often do work very well with retro reflectives.

Your idea about urban clutter is an interesting one. I'd have thought it probably varies from driver to driver.

When I reviewed the Bike Eye mirror a while back, I found that one of the problems (apart from my bike not really being suitable, having a rack), was making out the parts of the image in a urban situation. The BikeEye is a narrow mirror, so you see a strip image, and by the time I'd worked out what was car and what was shop and what was pedestrian and what was lampost, I'd ridden into something for not looking ahead. Out in the country, where it was all tarmac or verge, it was much easier to pick out my companion or a vehicle in a quick glance.

I agree, drivers vary, but I suspect that the worse ones are perhaps more likely to be distracted by clutter than the better ones.

 

[HJ]

Post of the week!

Thank you.

 

[summerdays]

Until it get's washed a few times and the reflective stuff comes off.....

On one of mine it came off without washing at all... the other one it stayed on much better. I'm now on my third NV - started with the yellow (which faded), found a cheap grey one (thanks to CC, but the reflectives came off that one), and now I'm on my pink one. It seems to have a weird bit of reflective plastic that is velcro'd on. Not sure why - I'm expecting it to fall off at some point.

I would much rather wear a jacket than a Sam Browne belt.

 

[marinyork]

When I reviewed the Bike Eye mirror a while back, I found that one of the problems (apart from my bike not really being suitable, having a rack), was making out the parts of the image in a urban situation. The BikeEye is a narrow mirror, so you see a strip image, and by the time I'd worked out what was car and what was shop and what was pedestrian and what was lampost, I'd ridden into something for not looking ahead. Out in the country, where it was all tarmac or verge, it was much easier to pick out my companion or a vehicle in a quick glance.

I agree, drivers vary, but I suspect that the worse ones are perhaps more likely to be distracted by clutter than the better ones.

I think quite a few people have problems with small mirrors. It seems plausible that Sam Browne belts did work better in the past as there would have been fewer urban areas, less glare, less powerful headlights, fewer vehicles etc.

My comment about drivers varying doesn't mean a lot. I expect that if experiments were run about visibility we'd find what we already know that some motorists are just shockingly bad and that you could be dressed up in as much hi-viz as possible, have ten rear lights and they'd still complain about them being a fairy.

 

[downfader]

I think quite a few people have problems with small mirrors. It seems plausible that Sam Browne belts did work better in the past as there would have been fewer urban areas, less glare, less powerful headlights, fewer vehicles etc.

My comment about drivers varying doesn't mean a lot. I expect that if experiments were run about visibility we'd find what we already know that some motorists are just shockingly bad and that you could be dressed up in as much hi-viz as possible, have ten rear lights and they'd still complain about them being a fairy.

You know, I often say hiviz is a red herring, and you've just reminded me of a driver a few years back that nearly had me off whilst going up hill. She turned across me after passing me to turn left. Apparently I was wearing "the wrong shade of yellow" she said. Stupid cow.

I have seen guys and girls in all colours out on bikes. Yellow doesnt make us stand out any more than any other bright colour, its drivers looking that counts really.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I usually wear a hi viz tabard at night, solely because I have about seven million of them at home after ten years in the transport industry. I've never worn a Sam Browne belt, but I can't imagine they're as visible as a tabard.

 

[Arch]

I usually wear a hi viz tabard at night

Hmm, each to their own, but I'd have thought pyjamas were more usual....

 

[gavintc]

Hmm, each to their own, but I'd have thought pyjamas were more usual....

Outstanding reply. Thanks Arch - gave me a laugh. At the end of a difficult week, I need laughs.

 

[Arch]

Outstanding reply. Thanks Arch - gave me a laugh. At the end of a difficult week, I need laughs.

I'm glad it helped!

On the Sam Browne subject, maybe we should all have Sam Browne bandoliers, complete with bullets in it - two, crossed over, like Mexican banditos. That might get us some space on the road. That and a shotgun bungied to the top tube...

 

[BentMikey]

Outstanding reply. Thanks Arch - gave me a laugh. At the end of a difficult week, I need laughs.

+1

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Hmm, each to their own, but I'd have thought pyjamas were more usual....

 

[Arch]

Dammit, I'm wondering if hi-vis pyjamas would be a winner as a comedy gift for that cyclist in you life who has everything....

Tom used to joke that my Rainlegs (if I'd worn them with nothing else, I never did BTW) looked like some sort of bondage gear, perhaps I should couple them with a hi-vis waistcoat for the full effect.*

*the effect in question being to send men run away screaming...

 

[wafflycat]

Dammit, I'm wondering if hi-vis pyjamas would be a winner as a comedy gift for that cyclist in you life who has everything....

Tom used to joke that my Rainlegs (if I'd worn them with nothing else, I never did BTW) looked like some sort of bondage gear, perhaps I should couple them with a hi-vis waistcoat for the full effect.*

*the effect in question being to send men run away screaming...

I suspect .jpgs are required for the men of the forum to judge